The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-06-15
HOW cATHHDRALs ARE BUILT.
New Conditions and Purposes to be
Met by the Proposed Monument.

Bishop Potters recent letter proposing
Protestant cathedral that shall cost $40 00O,-
VOo stands out unique among all the ca
thedral building projects that have enriched
and giorified tho world It is evident that
before the announcement the scheme was
far advanced. In view of the facts the
story is probably true 70 which the Church
man gave publicity concerning the late
Miss Wolfe's intention to give $1G00,000
toward an EpisC opal cathedral and
the failure of her dying had to respond to
this intention. Bishop Potter hardly would
have haZarded project that concerns not
only bis own church, out the city, State and
nation, without some definite chances of
success before him. The immediate and
liberal responses of Mr.. ID. Willis James
and Mr.. Henry Marquand confirms this
opinion.
Cathedrals in every age have been the
most leglble records left to us of the times
in which they were reared. That the pro-
posed new cathedral will represent our
times as clearly there is little doubt since
revelations of this sort are unconscious.
The broad distinction between ourselves
and the past lies in the proposition and those
to whom it appeals. In the age which gave
birth to cathedralS a cathedral meant
church built by and for the people, as dis
tinct from churches springing more directly
out of the great ecclesiastical organization
It was always born out of some great popu-
lar movement, either OF religion affection.
gratitude or local pride. 1t implied the re-
lation of the church to the masses III those
days the church was the great and only
protector OF the poor. 1t stood, wall of
defense, between serf and noble. 1t was
the refuge in times of trouble. 1t was re-
membered with gifts in times of joy.
THE CHURCH NOW WORKS FOR THE PEOPLE.
The relation of the church to civilization
is now entirely changed. Not that it holds
a less place On the contrary, its work is
greater, more enduring. Cathedrals sprang
from the people: The people worked for the
church. The church now works for the
people Its tendency is not to unite in one
but to throw off spurs that shall form
centres of Righteousness and civilization in
dark places. So manifest and well recoe-
nized is this tendency that it is the common
remark that the age of cathedrals is past
The religious element that once took form
in the cathedral now belongs to the parish
church. 1t is not Notre Dame, but Saint
Roch that attracts the fashion of Paris 1t
is not st. Paul, but st. George, Hanover
square, that draws the elite of London.
What is true of these classes is true of all
other classes Their religious homes are
elsewhere.
The proposition to build cathedral in
this city, then, must appeal ON another side
and to another class, and must be built I'M
der different conditions.
The Roman Catholic organization necessi-
tates cathedrals. But no one can compare
the building of the cathedral on Fifth ave-
nue. to the building Of the cathedrals of the
Middle Ages, or see any parallel in either the
building or the place the cathedral occupies
In the first place, there is the mere matter
of site. The new cathedral will probably
be built in some part Of the island that will
relate rather to the future of this city than
toits present limits. The available locations
.Ixy1 o.ol- H. hall -.
martyrs blood or of the rallying place of
prosecuted Christians crowned at last in
triumph by majestic cathedral But this
again is one of the signs of the new era. We
have no martyrs.
ESTHET1CIsM RATHER THAN SPIRITUALITY.
The inspiring motive for cathedral must
be found in some new direction. One has
been put forth. It should he acornmon pro-
test against the material5sm of the age.
But against this it is urged that the ten
dency of religious expression, even among
those churches that are tie outgrowth of
Purltanlsm, Is toward outward obServances,
and such tendency is in its essence ma
terial rather than spiritual. A cathedral,
with its lofty vaults, recessed asles mystic
rious lights. the gorgeous pageant
of its service and echoing har-
monies in this day tends toward estheticism
rather than spirituality, and estheticism
pertains peculiarly to the qualification of
the senses. This makes such project APP
peal directly and with great force to men of
wealth, accustomed to luxurious surround
lngs, and to patrons of the arts. From
such Bishop Potter will find instant re-
Spouse.
But it is advisable to make appeal more
widely. 1t is impossible to make It popu-
lar movement and to carry it on in that
fervor OF enthusiasm which built the cathe-
dralS of the past. But it is possible to make
"a ~ ypi1n ant
This is by rearing building that will be to
the country in general not SO much cathe-
dral, but what Westminster Abbey is to
England, great national monument, in
which the good and great of the land may
be buried.
To be satisfied that some such powerful
motive is required it is only necessary to
look for moment at the great sacred edi-
fees of the world and see how they were
conceived and in what spirit they were car
rled forth. Ten millions of dollars is a vast
sum, 1t would build twenty such radiating
missions as Ola Trinity has set up in differ
ent parts of the town in order to carry on
her church and civilizing work among the
poor.
ST. MARKS RESTING PLACE.
St Mark was the patron saint of Venice
Cast upon the isle where the early city stood,
80 the legend goes, an angel appeared and |
warned him that there should his final rest
ing place De. w hen the young city began
TO stretch her vigorous arms out it was de-
termined to bring back the body of st.
Mark, then buried at Alexandria, and to
build cathedral which should be his tomb.
The rescue of the body was achieved through
strategy, and its story shines in one of the
glorious mosacs of the church. The ediflce
was begun in 906, and was dedicated in 1924.
In the twelfth century it approached CON-
pletion. It's ground plan is a Greek cross,
with the eastern arm raised, to give
place to a crypt, where the body Of
st. Mark was placed. No church Of
Europe appeals to the imagination, nor can
anyone who has ever read il forget the inn
FASHIONED description Of st. Mark by Mr.
Ruskin. The interior is vast treasure
house. The wealth of the East was ravished
70 enrich it. There are 500 marble pillars
from Constantinople; the floor advances
and recedcs in pillows of mosaic The ex-
terror was of brick and is overlaid with |
marble. No people have so transformed |
architecture through color Above the por-
tails are the bronze horses ravished from
Constantinope, taken there from Rome, and |
the envy Of Napoleon l., who bore them to |
Paris, from whence they were restored |
The architecture is neither Byzantine nor
hut ip into N erlO